UPDATE:
Covey E. Simon said recently in The Wall Street Journal that In the shadow of Netflix, smaller streaming services (boutique sites) have emerged catering to subscribers who prefer such genre films as horror, animated, foreign, classic oldies, and automobiles.
He cited examples such as MUBI, which offers art house films and foreign classics, BROWN SUGAR, which features a collection of 1970s films starring black actors in lead roles, and SHUDDER, which plans to focus on horror, and spooky films.
With these new developments, CINEMAflix DIRECT plans to add to its existing mainstream digital platforms like iTunes, Amazon, and Hulu, many of these newer genre-specific outlets. Part of what makes the digital age so powerful is the ability to target your specific audience, whoever that might be.
NEWS BRIEFS:
Netflix lured prolific showrunner Shonda Rhimes away from her 15-year home at ABC studios with a four-year overall deal that could be worth $100 million.-
--Lesley Goldberg,
The Hollywood Reporter.
The government review of AT&T's $85 billion takeover of Time Warner has reached an advanced stage. The deal is being closely watched for signs of how the Trump administration will view large mergers.---Drew Fitzgerald & Joe Flint, The Wall Street Journal.
Chinese box office stages a revival. Movie revenue rises at a faster pace after a slowdown last year. Helping was WOLF WARRIOR 2, which became the highest grossing movie ever in China.
---Wayne Ma,
The Wall Street Journal.
STREAMING SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE THEATRICAL RELEASE:
This is every theater owner's nightmare. It's already happening to some extent with Netflix and IFC releases. However, Disney is seriously considering doing this when their streaming outlets are activated next year. Ben Weiss said in The Hollywood Reporter that It's not inconceivable that a movie like 'Toy Story 4,' 'Frozen 2,' or the live-action 'The Lion King,' might be released in theaters and on the Disney streaming service on the same day. In the past, theater chains threatened to boycott studios who did a simultaneous release of their films. This is unlikely to happen to Disney. Exhibitors have become totally dependent on Disney films because they drive a massive number of filmgoers. Overall, Disney is predicting that by combining streaming and theatrical releases, more people will see their films, and its movie business will grow.
FILM EXCHANGE:
We've had several exchanges regarding infants being allowed to enter theaters. The complaints festered primarily on parents not being able to control their crying babies. Recently, another reader complained that he felt uncomfortable seeing a violent action film while sitting near a a six-year old. He also worried that these kind of "adult" films will traumatize young viewers. Journalist Virginia Postrel suggested that infants should be charged a stiff premium to see the film. I disagree. The best solution is to simply prohibit them from entering the theater.
